C
cowbuoy
Guest
lowered the salinity from 1.024 to about 1.020
TOO FAST ALL AT ONE TIME
TOO FAST ALL AT ONE TIME
fish keep dying, I've had enough
- Thread starter carrie1429
- Start date
the claw
Active Member
IMO everything that has been said here is good info. Your treatment had a way too fast salinity change. Bob is giving you a good insight, but I'm not sure if this is your problem here because you posted that your nitrates and nitrites were zero. I assume that's after you started having problems. If not, what is it now? You may have inadvertenly gotten some type of contamination in your tank. That was a great idea to start it over. You can seed it from your display tank. I'm sorry you are having problems, but you came to the right place.
carrie1429
Active Member
I'm thinking there might have been something in the water because before I did anything to the water they seemed like they were breathing heavy, so I checked the levels and everything looked fine. I'm not sure what else it could be other than some kind of water contamination?
but the other fish died today, so I cleaned out the whole tank, and I used some water from my main tank to refill the QT. Is there anything else I should do to ensure that this doesn't happen again? After the tank cycles I'm planning to have a little fish, like a damsel or something, in it while I'm not quarantining other fish.
but the other fish died today, so I cleaned out the whole tank, and I used some water from my main tank to refill the QT. Is there anything else I should do to ensure that this doesn't happen again? After the tank cycles I'm planning to have a little fish, like a damsel or something, in it while I'm not quarantining other fish.
the claw
Active Member
It sounds like you are on the right track. I wish you luck. Avoid things that can possibly contaminate your tank. CLeaners, paints, etc. Don't let anyone else clean around your tanks. I don't know how often I have heard the horror story about so and so using pledge on the tank, or windex, or bug bombing the house. Family members (parents) are great for this, if they watch your house when you are on vacation. Just some handy hints.
beaslbob
Well-Known Member
I also think you are on the right track. There may be something in the water but the experiences you are having are very similiar to my 55g. The heavy breathing may be gill damage from ammonia or nitrite spikes. I also had ph drops after about 3-4 months. At the six month point with a lessor bioload and the addition of macro algaes, things just settled down.
I recommend you run the QT without fish for at least three weeks. This will let any fish born parasites die off. I additionally recommend you add macro algae to the QT. They will definately consume nitrAtes and my guess they will also consume ammonia. After all ammonia nitrate from animal urea in the nitrogen content of plant fertilizers. I do not recommed placing live rock in the QT. Among the good things on the LR could very be some parasites causing your problems.
After three weeks add a single cycle fish to the qt. Don't feed that fish and watch the nitrites. They usually rise on the second day. I found that by not feeding the fish until the nitrites come down (usually about a week), the fish survived.
If you get the Qt established, then you may want to transfer the two fish from your display to the QT for about three weeks. That will allow any fish born parasites to die off in the display.
As always, if you do not have macros/marine plants in your system, I recommend you add them. If you have containments in your water, the plant life will filter them out.
I know this all seems like a long process but restarting the tank would take longer and may have the same results you are experienceing now. I think that in a month or so you should have an excellent setup.
I recommend you run the QT without fish for at least three weeks. This will let any fish born parasites die off. I additionally recommend you add macro algae to the QT. They will definately consume nitrAtes and my guess they will also consume ammonia. After all ammonia nitrate from animal urea in the nitrogen content of plant fertilizers. I do not recommed placing live rock in the QT. Among the good things on the LR could very be some parasites causing your problems.
After three weeks add a single cycle fish to the qt. Don't feed that fish and watch the nitrites. They usually rise on the second day. I found that by not feeding the fish until the nitrites come down (usually about a week), the fish survived.
If you get the Qt established, then you may want to transfer the two fish from your display to the QT for about three weeks. That will allow any fish born parasites to die off in the display.
As always, if you do not have macros/marine plants in your system, I recommend you add them. If you have containments in your water, the plant life will filter them out.
I know this all seems like a long process but restarting the tank would take longer and may have the same results you are experienceing now. I think that in a month or so you should have an excellent setup.